Financial Controller

Financial Controller

About the Organisation

Our client is an established and growing bank based in Central London, operating within a regulated UK banking environment.

The organisation has an entrepreneurial culture, a hands-on leadership team and an ambitious growth strategy. As the business continues to develop, it is seeking an experienced Financial Controller to take ownership of the day-to-day finance function and provide strong financial control, accurate reporting and commercial insight to the senior leadership team.

This is a broad, hands-on role suited to a finance professional who enjoys working in a fast-paced banking environment, can operate independently and is comfortable taking ownership across the full finance function.

Previous experience working within a UK bank is an essential requirement for this position.

The Role

The Financial Controller will be responsible for the effective operation of the finance function, ensuring the bank has accurate and timely financial information, robust financial controls and appropriate processes in place to support continued growth.

The role will cover financial control, management accounts, cash flow, budgeting, statutory reporting, regulatory requirements and finance operations, while also providing commercial and financial support to the Managing Director and wider leadership team.

The successful candidate will be comfortable operating at both a strategic and detailed level — able to review monthly management accounts while also getting into the detail of reconciliations, payments, ledgers and financial control issues when required.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Control

• Take ownership of the day-to-day financial control environment.

• Manage month-end and year-end financial close processes.

• Produce accurate and timely monthly management accounts.

• Review the general ledger, journals, accruals, prepayments and provisions.

• Own balance-sheet reconciliations and ensure outstanding items are investigated and resolved promptly.

• Monitor income, expenditure and key financial performance indicators.

• Identify financial control weaknesses and implement appropriate improvements.

• Ensure appropriate financial policies, procedures and controls are maintained.

• Support the maintenance of a strong control environment appropriate to a regulated banking business.

Management Reporting & Commercial Finance

• Prepare clear and accurate monthly financial reporting for the Managing Director and senior leadership team.

• Analyse actual performance against budget and forecast.

• Explain key variances and identify emerging financial risks and opportunities.

• Support annual budgeting and regular financial forecasting.

• Develop and monitor meaningful KPIs to support management decision-making.

• Provide commercial financial insight to support business decisions.

• Work closely with operational and senior teams to understand revenue, costs and profitability.

• Provide clear financial analysis and challenge assumptions where appropriate.

Cash Flow & Working Capital

• Take ownership of short- and medium-term cash-flow forecasting.

• Monitor cash balances, receipts and payments.

• Manage working-capital requirements and identify opportunities for improvement.

• Ensure supplier payments and customer receipts are appropriately controlled.

• Provide senior management with clear and timely visibility of the bank’s cash position.

• Maintain appropriate controls over banking and payment processes.

Statutory & Regulatory Finance

• Coordinate the preparation of statutory accounts and year-end financial information.

• Manage relationships with external accountants, auditors and relevant advisers.

• Ensure financial and regulatory reporting requirements are completed accurately and within required deadlines.

• Maintain appropriate documentation and supporting evidence for audit and regulatory requirements.

• Support compliance with relevant UK accounting, financial and regulatory requirements.

• Keep up to date with changes to applicable accounting and regulatory requirements.

Finance Operations

• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll and banking activities.

• Ensure appropriate controls are maintained around payments and financial transactions.

• Review and improve finance processes as the business grows.

• Ensure finance records, ledgers and systems remain accurate and up to date.

• Identify opportunities to automate, streamline and improve manual processes.

• Support the development of scalable finance processes and controls.

Business & Leadership Support

• Act as a key financial adviser to the Managing Director and senior leadership team.

• Support commercial decision-making through robust financial analysis.

• Work across the business to improve financial understanding and accountability.

• Provide financial input into new products, projects, investments and strategic initiatives.

• Support the development of scalable finance processes capable of supporting future growth.

• Provide appropriate financial challenge and insight to senior stakeholders.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for a qualified or qualified-by-experience accountant with proven UK banking experience who has operated successfully within a lean or SME finance environment.

The ideal candidate will be technically strong, commercially minded and comfortable taking hands-on ownership of a broad finance remit within a regulated banking environment.

Essential Experience

• Previous professional experience working within a UK bank is essential.

• ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent qualification, or a strong qualified-by-experience background.

• Proven experience as a Financial Controller, Finance Manager or in a senior accounting/finance role.

• Strong management accounting and financial reporting experience.

• Good technical accounting knowledge.

• Experience managing month-end and year-end financial processes.

• Strong understanding of balance-sheet controls and reconciliations.

• Experience with budgeting, forecasting and cash-flow management.

• Experience dealing with external accountants, auditors and/or professional advisers.

• Strong Excel and financial systems capability.

• Understanding of the financial control requirements of a regulated banking environment.

• Ability to work independently and take full ownership of the finance function.

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work accurately to demanding deadlines.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within a growing or entrepreneurial UK bank.

• Experience within an SME or lean finance function.

• Experience implementing or upgrading accounting or ERP systems.

• Experience improving finance processes, systems and controls.

• Experience with UK banking regulatory reporting requirements.

• Experience supporting a financial services business through a period of growth.

• Experience working closely with senior leadership on commercial and strategic financial matters.

The Opportunity

This is a permanent Financial Controller position based in Central London, offering the opportunity to join an established and growing bank at an exciting stage of its development.

The successful candidate will have significant ownership of the finance function and will work closely with senior leadership, providing financial control, reporting and commercial insight while helping to build processes and controls to support the bank’s continued growth.

Please note: Previous professional experience working within a UK bank is an essential requirement for this position. Candidates without UK banking experience will not be considered.